What is bearing wipe, scoring?

Bearing wipe and scoring:
- most common bearing failures due to insufficient or contaminated lubrication

Wiping of bearing: 
- white metal (babbitt) from the bearing surface melts and then hardens in the cooler area of the bearing
- wiping is caused by loss of hydrodynamic oil film, insufficient oil supply 
- wiped bearing is also caused by lesser clearance due to overheating (thermal expansion)

Troubleshooting/Repair of bearing wipe:
- ensure the rotor is properly balanced
- ensure coupling is correctly aligned
- ensure clean and sufficient supply of lubricating oil
- clean all the dirt
- replace the wiped bearing with a new one, increase the clearance


Scoring of bearing:
- scoring in a bearing is the result of metal-to-metal contact
- evidenced by circular scratches or grooves around the circumference of the bearing surface

Causes of Scored Bearing:
- contamination in the lubricating oil
- dirt, foreign particles, wear particles from metal 

Troubleshooting/Repair of scored bearing:
- clean the journal, oil passages, oil filter
- ensure clean supply of lubricating oil
- replace with new journal bearing